KP govt committed to provide facilities to journalists: Atif

MARDAN: Provincial Minister for education and energy Muhammad Atif Khan said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was taking steps to provide maximum facilities to journalists.

He expressed these views while addressing participants of oath-taking ceremony of cabinet of Mardan Press Club wherein he was chief guest. On the occasion, the officer-bearers of Mardan press club cabinet including president Lutfullah Lutaf, vice-president Mohammad Arif, general secretary Mohammad Riaz Mayar, joint secretary Yousaf Mayar and finance secretary Pervaz Shaheen took oath their relevant offices.

Secretary Information Qaiser Alam Khan presided over the oath-taking ceremony. Provincial minister lauded that both print and electronic had performed vital role in creating awareness among masses that was why public were now well-aware of their rights. He said, “It is the prime duty of journalists to spread right information among people”. Atif Khan also claimed that the PTI provincial government had been taking measures to facilitate district-based journalists as they had been ignored for long time.

He alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League-N led central government and Punjab provincial regime had spent more than Rs. 20 billion rupees of national exchequer over the rulers’ personal publicity while publishing advertisements with their photos. On the other hand, he claimed that they did not publish governmental advertisements with photos KP chief minister or any other provincial ministers.

Muhammad Atif Khan also claimed that the PTI provincial government had also finished culture of constructing government buildings or institutions after names of political leaders. He said that government spent money of masses on construction of government buildings and institutions that was why it was not fair to inaugurate those institutions or buildings with names of political leaders.

The education minister was of the view that due to names of those political leaders, majority of government institutions were become controversial and then the coming rulers or governments were reluctant to provide funds to those under- construction government buildings and institutions. He said that they had strengthened institutions in KP province while finishing political interference in government institutions that was why by now all institutions of the province were independent.

He rejected the notion that the PTI provincial government had stopped funds to those developmental projects which were started by the previous ANP-led provincial government. He took in to his provincial government’s credit the establishment of first Women Cadet College in Mardan as well as other developmental mega-schemes including establishment of Mardan Women University, upgrading of Engineering University, Flyovers , family park and other projects. ”We have been spending the government money on masses not to serve their own self interests or wishes.”